Key takeaway
Georgia pays family caregivers through several Medicaid waivers — CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP — plus the Structured Family Caregiving program. Spouses and legal guardians generally cannot be paid under Medicaid; VA Veteran Directed Care can pay spouses.
- CCSP: Community Care Services Program funds in-home services for older adults and adults with disabilities.
- SOURCE: Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment integrates primary care and HCBS for frail older adults.
- ICWP: Independent Care Waiver Program serves adults with severe physical or traumatic brain injuries.
- Structured Family Caregiving: pays a live-in family caregiver a tax-free daily stipend through participating providers.
- Veterans: Aid & Attendance and Veteran Directed Care can fund family caregiving (VDC can pay spouses).
Overview
Georgia has one of the more developed sets of Medicaid HCBS waivers in the Southeast for paying family caregivers. The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) and the Department of Human Services Division of Aging Services (DAS) administer the major programs, with services delivered through Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and contracted providers.
The Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) program is especially relevant for live-in family caregivers. SFC pays a tax-free daily stipend (often $1,500–$2,500/month, depending on care level) to a designated adult family caregiver — typically an adult child, grandchild, or other relative — who shares a home with the care recipient. Spouses, legal guardians, and parents of minor children are excluded. The VA’s Veteran Directed Care program separately allows spouses.
Programs that pay family caregivers in Georgia
| Program (Type) | Care recipient eligibility | Paid family caregiver provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Community Care Services Program (CCSP) (Medicaid HCBS) | Age 65+ or 18+ with a disability; meets nursing-facility level of care; Medicaid financial limits apply. | Funds personal support, adult day health, home-delivered meals, respite, and home modifications. Structured Family Caregiving option allows a relative caregiver to be paid. |
| Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment (SOURCE) (Medicaid HCBS) | Frail older adults with a primary care physician relationship; meets nursing-facility level of care; Medicaid eligible. | Combines primary care management with in-home services. Personal support and Structured Family Caregiving are available. |
| Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) (Medicaid HCBS) | Adults 21–64 with severe physical or traumatic brain injuries; meets nursing-facility/hospital level of care. | Funds personal support, home modifications, behavioral management, and consumer-directed services. Family caregivers (not spouses or legal guardians) may be hired. |
| Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) (CCSP/SOURCE service) | CCSP or SOURCE enrollees who live with a non-spouse adult family caregiver in the caregiver’s home. | Pays the caregiver a tax-free daily stipend via a participating provider. Spouses, legal guardians, and parents of minor children cannot serve. |
| Aid & Attendance Pension (VA benefit) | Wartime veteran or surviving spouse with limited income/assets and documented ADL need. | Increases monthly pension to help cover care costs. Veteran can pay an adult child or relative; spouses cannot be paid directly. |
| Veteran Directed Care (VDC) (VA program) | Veteran enrolled in VA health care who meets nursing-home level of care; lives in an area served by a participating VAMC. | Monthly care budget the veteran manages to hire any caregiver, including a spouse. Atlanta VAMC, Dublin VAMC, and Augusta VAMC participate to varying degrees. |
Georgia Medicaid programs
Georgia Medicaid offers three HCBS waivers that pay for in-home care — CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP — plus the Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) service that pays a live-in family caregiver a daily stipend. Spouses and legal guardians are excluded as paid caregivers under Medicaid.
Community Care Services Program (CCSP)
CCSP is Georgia’s primary HCBS waiver for older adults and adults with disabilities. It funds personal support, adult day health, home-delivered meals, respite, alternative living services, emergency response systems, and Structured Family Caregiving.
- Age 65+ or adults 18+ with a qualifying disability.
- Must meet nursing-facility level of care.
- Income limit generally at or below 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate; asset limit $2,000 (individual).
- Structured Family Caregiving allows a live-in relative (not a spouse or legal guardian) to be paid.
Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment (SOURCE)
SOURCE pairs a primary care medical home with HCBS for frail older adults. Participants get the same kinds of services as CCSP (including SFC) but with stronger care coordination through the SOURCE case management agency.
- Must have a relationship with a SOURCE primary care provider.
- Meets nursing-facility level of care.
- Structured Family Caregiving is available.
Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP)
ICWP serves adults age 21–64 with severe physical disabilities (including traumatic brain injury) who would otherwise require hospital or nursing-facility care. It funds personal support, home modifications, counseling, and consumer-directed options.
- Adults 21–64 with a severe physical disability or TBI.
- Must meet nursing-facility or hospital level of care.
- Consumer direction allows hiring family caregivers; spouses and legal guardians excluded.
Structured Family Caregiving (SFC)
SFC is a CCSP/SOURCE service in which a designated adult family caregiver lives with the care recipient and provides 24-hour care. The caregiver receives a tax-free daily stipend through a participating SFC provider agency.
- Caregiver lives with and provides 24-hour care to the participant.
- Stipend is tax-free (treated as difficulty-of-care payments under IRS rules).
- Spouses, legal guardians, and parents of minor children cannot be the SFC caregiver.
State-funded supports through DAS and Area Agencies on Aging
Beyond Medicaid, the Georgia Division of Aging Services (DAS) and 12 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) coordinate non-Medicaid caregiver supports such as respite, training, and supplemental services.
Federally funded program providing information, counseling, training, respite, and supplemental services to family caregivers of older adults.
State-funded chore, personal support, and respite for older adults who do not qualify for Medicaid; cost-sharing may apply.
Free counseling on Medicare, Medicaid, and long-term care planning — useful for understanding the full menu of paid caregiver options.
Who qualifies
- Family caregivers of adults age 60+ or of any age with Alzheimer’s/related dementia.
- Grandparents 55+ raising grandchildren.
- Income-based prioritization for low-income or rural Georgians.
Veterans’ programs
Georgia has nearly 700,000 veterans — one of the largest veteran populations in the country. The main VA pathways for paid family caregiving are Aid & Attendance, Veteran Directed Care, and PCAFC.
Aid & Attendance Pension
A&A boosts a wartime veteran’s or surviving spouse’s VA pension to help cover care costs. The veteran can use the increased pension to pay a family member providing care.
- Qualifying wartime service, limited income/assets, documented ADL need.
- Adult children and other relatives can be paid; spouses cannot be paid directly.
Veteran Directed Care (VDC)
VDC provides a monthly care budget the veteran manages to hire caregivers — including a spouse. Atlanta VA Health Care System, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center (Augusta), and Carl Vinson VA Medical Center (Dublin) participate to varying degrees.
- Veteran must meet nursing-home level of care.
- Spouses may be paid under VDC.
- Financial management service handles payroll and timesheets.
Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)
PCAFC provides a monthly stipend, training, and supports to the primary family caregiver of an eligible veteran with serious injury or illness.
- Stipend tier depends on the veteran’s assessed needs.
- Apply through the VA Caregiver Support Program.
Long-term care insurance
If the care recipient owns a long-term care insurance policy, benefits may be used to pay a family caregiver, subject to policy terms.
What to check in the policy
- Coverage includes in-home personal care, not just facility care.
- Benefits pay the policyholder directly (cash/indemnity model), enabling payment to a chosen family caregiver.
If the policy reimburses only licensed agencies, the family caregiver may need to work through a Georgia-licensed home care agency that bills the policy.
How to apply in Georgia (step-by-step)
- Identify your most likely path: CCSP, SOURCE, ICWP, Structured Family Caregiving, VA benefits, or LTC insurance.
- Gather documents: photo ID, Social Security card, proof of Georgia residency, income/asset documentation, medical records, current medications list, and (for veterans) DD-214.
- Start with the right agency:
- CCSP / SFC: contact Georgia DAS or your local Area Agency on Aging (1-866-552-4464) to request a screening.
- SOURCE: ask DCH or your AAA about SOURCE provider sites and physician partnerships.
- ICWP: contact the Georgia Medical Care Foundation or your AAA — ICWP intake is centralized.
- VA paths: contact the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 or social work at Atlanta, Augusta, or Dublin VAMC.
- LTC insurance: call the insurer to confirm caregiver payment rules and required documentation.
- Complete the functional level-of-care assessment (DMA-6) and Medicaid financial eligibility review.
- For SFC, select a participating SFC provider agency and complete caregiver enrollment, training, and home assessment.
- Begin services. Submit logs and timesheets, and prepare for annual reassessment.
Georgia paid caregiver FAQs
Can a spouse be paid as a caregiver in Georgia?
Not under Georgia Medicaid programs — CCSP, SOURCE, ICWP, and Structured Family Caregiving all exclude spouses and legal guardians. Spouses can be paid through the VA’s Veteran Directed Care program if the veteran qualifies and lives in an area served by a participating Georgia VAMC.
How much do caregivers get paid in Georgia?
Under Structured Family Caregiving, the live-in family caregiver typically receives a tax-free daily stipend of around $50 to $100/day (often $1,500–$2,500/month) depending on the care recipient’s assessed level. Consumer-directed personal support under CCSP, SOURCE, or ICWP usually pays $10 to $14 per hour.
Can I be paid to care for my parent in Georgia?
Yes. Adult children are routinely paid through Structured Family Caregiving, CCSP and SOURCE consumer-directed services, ICWP (if the parent is under 65 with a severe physical disability), and VA programs.
What is Structured Family Caregiving in Georgia?
SFC is a CCSP/SOURCE service in which a live-in adult family caregiver (not a spouse, legal guardian, or parent of a minor) provides 24-hour care and receives a tax-free daily stipend through a participating provider. It is one of the most popular ways for Georgia families to be compensated for full-time caregiving.
Is there a waitlist for CCSP or SOURCE?
Slot availability has varied over the years. CCSP and SOURCE are capped waivers, so waitlists can exist depending on funding. ICWP has its own slot allocation. Ask your AAA or care coordination agency about current availability and bridge supports while waiting.
